Alan, my comparison had nothing to do with murder, per say. The point is that far too many people assume that the authorities--be it a Sheriff's Dept or managers of an aviation company--will do the right thing by them and their family. Too often when we see something wrong we mistakenly think that all we have to do is explain the situation and the people in charge will make it right. I now know how
misplaced trust can be, and unfortunately, many frac pilots have learned the same hard lesson. Thus, the vast majority (union and non-union alike) have experience with being deliberately stalled. Although I'm not a pilot I can definitely relate with having to deal with
that and it is easy for me to sympathize with how discouraging it can be. So I join others who post here to try to warn the pilots who persist in blindly following morally bankrupt officials even in the face of broken promises.
I'm saying that standing up for yourself is right and persistence can pay off. It all boils down to a determination to prevail and finding hope to persist in the face of great odds--whether we're talking about an individual's fight, or a group's struggle. Cheering on those involved in current battles for justice in no way diminishes those who fought for their rights in the past. On the contrary, I believe that anyone who has successfully fought an injustice would want their example to inspire others to make a stand in their own lives.
Fighting for justice is an American ideal that makes this country great and we should all uphold that tradition when circumstances make it necessary. I realize that the murder of a loved one seems surreal to many, (I know of 3 NJA pilots who faced this loss though) but then I bet many aviation families never thought they'd be the direct victims of corporate greed, either. Those who don't wish to read my posts can easily exercise their right to ignore them but what you call "ranting" has been seen as encouraging and/or interesting/insightful to others.
Unlike you, I'm not amused by the fact that frac pilots are paid sub-par wages for their professional skills and I don't think they "have it made" only because they live in America. Just because there are starving children elsewhere doesn't mean pilots in the U.S. should be satisfied with pay so low it qualifies them (or their peers) for govt assistance to feed the family. I don't think they compare themselves to people in
other places in the world....
Most
rightfully look at the fair salaries of those doing the same or a similar job and expect to be paid a comparable wage. Many pilots consider protracted battles over wages and working conditions to be quite a struggle and they appreciate expressions of support. The fact that mine is motivated (in part) by my own personal legal battle should be irrelevant to
you; therefore, I politely suggest that you put me on your ignore list since my sincere form of support doesn't meet with your approval. It's
my honest opinion that you'd be much happier that way...
For both the group efforts to obtain wage parity and the individual efforts to achieve fairness in a private matter, I will continue to lend my moral support to those waiting for the wheels of justice to slowly turn in their favor. It is my experience that compassion and a sense of community spirit can make the waiting easier. To everyone fighting: Have faith in the rightness of your cause and don't give up. Good Luck!
Standing by my post,
Netjetwife
imp:
In all seriousness, superior service seems to work for many pilots that receive tips. That said, a fair contract guaranteeing a professional compensation package is the best way to cover your expenses. I think that should be the goal of every frac pilot.
